| Less Scroogerly College Loans | | Posted Thursday, January 25, 2007 1:13:20 PM by Blog57 Team | | Before sweeping into power in both chambers of the U.S. Congress, the Democratic Party promised to improve access to higher education for all Americans. Once empowered to dictate the congressional docket, the House Dems swiftly and emphatically passed a bill that promises to cut the interest rate on federally-backed student loans to 3.4 percent from 6.8 percent. There are few things to which politicians pay more lip service than higher education, but as with most issues, when it actually comes down to choosing a course of action, consensus proves hard to reach. After years of lagging federal spending on higher education, it is reassuring to see the 110th Congress put this issue back on high priority. The bill seeks to aid the approximately two-thirds of college students who graduate with debt.... | |
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| | | TAKE PART: Will cutting interest rates on student loans affect your college plans? | | Posted Wednesday, January 17, 2007 3:10:04 PM by Blog57 Team | | A proposal to cut interest rates in half on federal need-based student loans is scheduled for a vote Wednesday in the U.S. House of Representatives. If approved, the law would save college students thousands of dollars. Stafford loans, which now carry a fixed interest rate of 6.8 percent, would be cut in five stepsto 6.12 percent this year, 5.44 percent in 2008, 4.76 percent in 2009, 4.08 percent in 2010, and 3.4 percent in 2011. Would these savings make a difference in your college plans? Let us know by e-mailing rloos@tennessean.com .... | |
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| | | New Congress Unlikely to Rush Toughest Issues | | Posted Monday, November 27, 2006 1:12:16 PM by Blog57 Team | | Democratic lawmakers vow to come roaring out of the blocks when they assume control of the next Congress, passing several top-priority bills in the first 100 hours. Absent from that list, however, are the knottiest problems that bedeviled the outgoing Congress, including immigration, domestic surveillance and the war in Iraq. Voters handed Democrats a mandate for change on Nov. 7, politicians and analysts agree. But party leaders are drawing a sharp distinction between popular, comparatively simple issues, such as raising the minimum wage, and more complex matters for which they have yet to propose solutions or even outline a plan for hearings. .... | |
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| | | College to build student housing | | Posted Tuesday, November 14, 2006 11:04:49 PM by Blog57 Team | | ULLIN, Ill. -- Shawnee Community College won't be home to only commuter students next fall. The college, through its fund-raising foundation, plans to open its first residence hall for students. The single-story building is expected to house about 100 students. Each dorm room could house two students, school officials said Monday. Future plans envision construction of two more residence halls if demand warrants it, school officials said. The rural college has a growing number of students from Southeast Missouri and Kentucky who make long commutes to the campus. With the high price of gasoline, student housing could make it more convenient for some of those students to attend the two-year college, school officials said. The college has more than 200 students enrolled from Southeast Missouri, half of the school's total out-of-state enrollment, officials said.... | |
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| | | Cap on federal loans should factor into student's choice of college | | Posted Sunday, November 12, 2006 7:09:55 PM by Blog57 Team | | If you have a high-school senior about to put in applications for college, you wont be surprised by the latest news about college costs. In its annual look at trends in college pricing, the College Board reported that the average tuition at four-year public and private colleges is up again. Prices have risen 35 percent from five years ago, after adjusting for inflation. If youre a parent of a collegebound student, there were two other facts in the College Board report that shouldnt be overlooked: It is taking longer for students to graduate, and an increasing number of students are turning to high-priced private loans to pay for college. The College Board said in its report that among bachelors degree recipients in 1999-2000, those who began their studies at four-year public colleges and universities took an average of 6.2 years to earn a degree.... | |
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| | | On a roller coaster, one energy firm tries hedging bets | | Posted Friday, November 10, 2006 11:18:55 AM by Blog57 Team | | Fresh out of college in 1981, Aubrey K. McClendon joined the roaring oil and natural-gas business in his hometown of Oklahoma City. A year later, one of the city's main banks was declared insolvent, brought down by bad oil-field loans. Mr. McClendon, 47 years old, is now chairman and chief executive of Chesapeake Energy Corp., one of the nation's largest producers of natural gas. His industry is still largely defined by risk takers prepared to ride out inevitable cycles. But Mr. McClendon, after suffering through more booms and busts in the 1990s, is taking a different tack. He wants to damp uncertainty in one of the most volatile of all commodities through a combination of analysis, timing and financial hedges. "I'm kind of a contrarian guy at the end of the day," he says. The story of Chesapeake raises critical questions for all companies working in roller-coaster industries.... | |
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| | | Feds Seek $477,029 From Little Rock College | | Posted Wednesday, November 08, 2006 3:05:04 AM by Blog57 Team | | Philander Smith College owes the federal Education Department more than $400,000 in student-aid funds mishandled by the school, an agency audit says. College officials have accepted responsibility for $430,078, but dispute figures that the agency says bring the total owed to $477,029. The agency's inspector-general's office, which conducted the audit, has recommended that the historically black college be ordered to adopt a reimbursement plan to repay the money. The office also recommended sanctions against the school. Walter Kimbrough, president of the 585-student school, estimated the college has already returned about $100,000 to the federal government. According to the audit, the school didn't keep track of payments by students on loans, paid out assistance money to students who dropped out or hadn't provided information to show they qualified for the aid, and provided aid to students who earned no college credits for the semester they got the assistance.... | |
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| | | Loan cap a factor in college choice | | Posted Monday, November 06, 2006 1:25:25 PM by Blog57 Team | | WASHINGTON - If you've got a high school senior about to put in applications for college, you won't be surprised by the latest news about college costs. In its annual look at trends in college pricing, the College Board reported that the average tuition at four-year public and private colleges is up again. Prices have risen 35 percent from five years ago, after adjusting for inflation. If you're the parent of a college-bound student, there are two other facts in the College Board report that should not be overlooked: It is taking longer for students to graduate, and an increasing number of students are turning to high-priced private loans to pay for college. Among bachelor's degree recipients in 1999-2000, the College Board said in its report, those who began their studies at four-year public colleges and universities took an average of 6.2 years to earn a degree.... | |
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| | | NextStudent Offers a Variety of Repayment Options for Recent College Graduates | | Posted Friday, November 03, 2006 7:18:20 PM by Blog57 Team | | Repayment on most student loans is about to begin for many college graduates due to the end of the six-month grace period. It is important for graduates to make their payments on time or make sure to select an alternate repayment plan, according to Phoenix-based NextStudent. The premier education funding company offers advice and a variety of repayment options for students. Many graduates will find their student loan payment booklets in their mailboxes, which typically arrive approximately 30 to 60 days before the first due date for payment. Some graduates may be in a position to make the scheduled "level repayment," while others will find themselves in a burdensome financial situation. Unfortunately, after receiving their degree many college graduates are not yet in their dream job.... | |
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| | | Private lenders helping pay for college | | Posted Wednesday, November 01, 2006 11:18:45 AM by Blog57 Team | | If you've got a high school senior about to put in applications for college, you won't be surprised by the latest news about college costs. In its annual look at college pricing, the College Board reported that the average cost of tuition and fees is up 6.3 percent at four-year public colleges, and 5.9 percent at four-year private colleges. Prices have risen 35 percent from five years ago, after adjusting for inflation. The College Board reports it is taking longer for students to graduate, and part of the reason is cost. Let's say your child doesn't get a full scholarship or grants. How will you pay for his or her college education? Federal loans, you say. Did you know the maximum limit for the main federal loan program is $23,000? (By the way, that limit has not changed since 1992.) That cap is a big contributor to the huge increase in private student lending, says Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of FinAid.org, which is one of the most useful Web sites on this issue.... | |
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